The woman, who was alone at her Fox Court home, pulled a gun from her dresser after two men walked through her unlocked front door, entered her bedroom and demanded cash and jewelry, police said. She told police that both were armed with guns and that she shot one of the men several times as the other fled.

Police said they recovered a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun, believed to be the woman's, and another handgun, which does not belong to any of the residents. The woman has not been charged.

Police continue to investigate.

A small amount of suspected drugs was found on the body of Booker, who was identified through fingerprints, said Officer Charles Ravenell, a police spokesman.

Police are searching for the other man, whose identify is unknown. Authorities said they are not releasing the woman's name because they fear for her safety.

Neighbors said she, her husband and several other adults have rented half the duplex on Fox Court for the past three months.

Property records list the owner as Douglas E. Cookson, who lives nearby in Pasadena. Neighbors say it's the only rental unit among the eight duplexes - 16 total housing units - on the cul-de-sac.

Police have said they do not believe that Booker and the other intruder picked the residence at random, although they declined to comment further.

Officers had been to the address four times - twice for false alarms and twice for abandoned vehicle reports - after the woman and her family moved in.

Booker's last known address was in the 7000 block of Rudisill Court but court records show he lived on Carriage Hill Circle for several years.

He had a trial scheduled for March in Baltimore for various drug charges stemming from a June 2001 arrest, according to court records. Booker was found guilty in May 2001 of drug possession, the records state.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the county police at 410- 222-6145 or 410-222-3460.